Kasab held guilty; 2 Indians acquitted

Mumbai: Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone Pakistani terrorist captured for the attack on Mumbai in 2008, has been pronounced guilty by special court in Mumbai.

Two Indian nationals, Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed, accused of being members of Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and conducting reconnaissance in Mumbai before the attack, have been acquitted by the court. The verdicts were read out by Special judge M L Tahilyani, and the arguments on sentencing will begin on Tuesday.

The trial in the case focused around Kasab, the prime accused, and two Indian co-accused Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed. Ten Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Mumbai on 26th November 2008 and unleashed 60 hours of mayhem that left 166 people dead and 244 injured.

The terrorists had targeted several sites such as the World Heritage Building of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, Hotel Oberoi-Trident, Cama Hospital and the Chabad House, a Jewish prayer centre and Leopold Cafe, a favourite among foreigners.

During the trial, a whopping 653 witnesses were examined by the prosecution and a 675-page written submission was filed.

The witnesses included many survivors of the terror attacks, eyewitnesses, family members of the victims, police officials, several foreign nationals, Indian security officials and officials from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

“The prosecution has prepared a watertight case against all the three accused and we hope the verdict would be in our favour,” special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told PTI before the court verdict.